Is asymptomatic shedding really asymptomatic?

[happyman_adventurous]

Hi forum,

I'm on daily acyclovir and it works great.

However sometimes I have mild "pre-outbreaks", with some reddishness (or small dots) that go away the next day.

This made me think about something: is asymptomatic shedding really asymptomatic?

Or is it just a way the medical community has to say that mild, undetected symptoms can be contagious?

If that was the case, every shedding would be Symptomatic, and a careful examination could always detect some reddish area.

Is this inaccurate? Is there such thing as asymptomatic shedding? Just being curious/skeptic.

Cheers,

[JulyP]

very good question.

I don't know if it might be that I´ve had this for a short time, but I think i can feel when the virus is active because I get prodrome symptoms...I also wonder if asymptomatic means more like you don't get lesions instead of actually not having any symptoms...

It would be great if someone has more detailed info on this one, because I actually think it might help to cut off transmissions if you just abstain from sex during either ob's or just discomfort that you can pin to H. 

Hope we get some more light in this. 

 

[Amando]

yes, good question

I think in time you learn to read your body, if I have had the slightest tingle the day before,
I will refrain from sex for a good few days because I believe that is likely to be a shedding moment.
& only after a good check & no recent tingles will I declare myself fit for action again 🙂

[mr_hopp]

Great questions all around! Hopefully I can help shed more light on this. 😀

Asymptomatic viral shedding means no symptoms whatsoever. No itching, no redness, nada. Here's an article on that:
https://herpeslife.com/what-is-herpes-asymptomatic-viral-shedding/

Anything that might be signalling an outbreak that is symptomatic, like itching and redness (which can be different for each person based on location of outbreak, immune system, how long they've had herpes, etc.) are known as prodrome symptoms like @JulyP mentioned. Here's an article on that: 
https://herpeslife.com/herpes-prodrome-symptoms/

[happyman_adventurous]

Hi @mr_hopp, @Amando, @JulyP and everyone!

I use to apply Aloe Vera every night, as it has helped me healing past outbreaks very quickly, and I just trust it to keep my skin in top condition in general, and on this area in paticular.

Today morning, surprise: a micro crust on the base of my penis, just like the ones you have when you are closing an outbreak (very similar to the ones I saw when using Aloe to speed up the healing).

Obviously, the night before there were no (visible) symptoms at all.

I keep suspecting that there is something more to the asymptomatic shedding than meets the eye (pun intended) and than we are told by researchers and clinicians.

Asymptomatic shedding, I somehow suspect, is asymptomatic for the eye and your pain nerves and your inflamation response, but not for the skin itself.

I'd say, after this, that all and any shedding are symptomatic, just very discreetly symptomatic, and so is susceptible to be caught, by this primitive method or maybe better ones.

It may be wishful thinking, but theoretically it makes sense, as in a microscopic level, every shedding is a break of the skin because the virus concentrates on its internal surface and bursts it. And even a micro abrasion of that kind is a gate for the virus to the outside world, and so could infect someone.

Just some thoughts, but I could be misinformed / biased.

Anyways I'm going to follow this "Aloe protocol" because it can, at least, give you some extra information sometimes.

All the best,

 

[Amando]

Hi @happyman_adventurous

Well you certainly have given us a lot of food for thought with your insight.

I have never tried rubbing in Aloe Vera but I do go through a phase of rubbing in Zovirax cold sore cream
because it would make sense if I am shedding that it would help kill the bacteria, well that's my idea anyway 🙂

Damn stuffs quite expensive though but heyho

All the best with "Aloe protocol" 🙂

 

[organicmama]

I just want to say I'm so happy for people who are still sexual when they have H. I feel as though I don't want to be touched. I am so disgusted with my body. I am truly, truly happy for people who do not feel this way. I hope one day I feel the same.

[mr_hopp]

@organicmama, it comes with time, but it also comes with practicing a new way of thinking. Build new neural pathways that will shift you into a new relationship with your body and a new relationship to yourself. You are becoming one of those people as you work through all of this in a good way. 🙂